Eating Plant-Based While on a Cruise

My family and I just got back from a 4-day cruise to the Bahamas. Before we left, I did a ton of research on what to pack, the things to do in our ports, and even the ship layout and what our room looked like. I did search about food – but very minimal – and it looked like I would have no problems finding something to eat while on board so I left my research to that. I thought, ‘eh, whatever is there, is there, and I am not going to stress over it. I didn’t ever stress over it, in fact, I ate well even considering it was a meat-centric buffet every day! BUT there were some things I wish I had known ahead of time. Here is what you need to know if you eat primarily plant-based while vacationing on a cruise ship.

a water taxi in the water of the Bahamas — Photo taken by my husband from our balcony

Finding your options

First, I need to be upfront; I did not take a single picture of any of my food which is a shame because I know it would have been nice to see. I enjoyed the time with my family, what can I say, pictures weren’t the first thing on my mind. However, I’ll share some pics of the trip in case you dig that sort of thing.

Ok, now that I got that out of the way 🙂 Let’s get to your options.

Most cruise (we traveled on the Carnival Liberty FYI) lines have embraced the rising increase of dietary restrictions, offering a variety of plant-based options to ensure every passenger enjoys their trip. From dedicated vegan menus in the main dining rooms to meatless options in the buffets. For example:

Specialty Dining: We dined in the dining room every night. The kids had a blast trying new things and fancy desserts. It was a treat for us! As someone who doesn’t eat meat or cow’s dairy, I appreciated they had a dedicated vegan menu every night with several options. I was ecstatic when they had a vegan creme brulee one night!
The HUGE buffets: Even at the buffet, I had several options. I ate a lot of salads at lunch, tofu dishes, and roasted veggies. There were enough options daily that I didn’t get bored. The only time I was bored at the buffet was breakfast. The only option was oatmeal.

Areas where they could improve

Ingredient Transparency: When I was in line at the buffet, I had no clue what was in a dish or a salad dressing. Always feel empowered to ask for ingredient lists or speak directly with a chef who can confirm the plant-based status of your meal choices. However, additions such as no dairy, no soy, gluten-free, etc would be easy and save time waiting to ask a staff member.

Snacks and desserts: This is not a huge thing but aside from that creme brulee (which I could have eaten every night), the dessert options were sorbet, a vegan cheesecake, or fruit platters. I would have loved a cookie somewhere in there 🙂

Would I cruise again with my dietary restrictions?

Absolutely! In a heartbeat! I still enjoyed the food options available. I did have some snacks on hand as a backup in case but didn’t touch them a whole lot. If you are thinking about cruising and have restrictions or allergies, I would recommend these tips:

Communicate Early: Upon booking your cruise, inform the cruise line of your dietary preferences. Most lines are accommodating and appreciative of advance notice.

Pack Essentials: While the options are plentiful, packing some plant-based protein bars, nuts, or other snacks can help keep you satiated during those unexpected moments.

Talk to your servers: To be safe I always said I had a dairy allergy (that was the easiest way for me to ensure I didn’t consume dairy – my body does not like it at all!) and they made sure I didn’t order anything at dinner with dairy.